Collapsible egg carton



H. LEVINE COLLAPSIBLE EGG CARTON April 11, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 18, 1945 HENRY LEVINE April 11, 1950 H. LEVINE 2,503,343

COLLAPSIBLE EGG CARTON Filed Aug. 18, 1945 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [rule/c201" HENRY LEVINE Patented Apr. 11, 1950 --l UNITED STATES "PATENT OFF-ICE 2,503,343 Q J v COLLAPSIBLE EGG CARTON Henry Levine, Philadelphia, Pa. v

Application August 18, 1945, Serial No 611,287 1 Claim. (01. 229+29 I This invention relates to cartons or containers and more particularly to an improved construction of cellular carton of the type adapted to receive eggs or other fragile articles requiring protection in the handling thereof.

Among the principal objects of the present invention is to .provide a cellular carton wherein the longitudinal and transverse walls thereof are so related to each other that the assembly thereof into the form of a complete carton is effected eX- penditiously by a simple manual operation and without necessitating the use of any special tools or' assembling devices.

In general, the carton of the present inventionis constructed in accordance with the principles disclosed in my prior patent, No. 2,005,345, issued June 18, 1935, wherein a separate, readily insertable element is employed to interlock the transverse partition walls with the bottom wall of the carton in such manner as to maintain the transverse walls in parallel relation and at the same time support the bottom wall against collapse. However, the present construction differs from the prior patented construction in several important respects in order to render more facile the manufacture and manual setting-up of the carton and to provide for greater cushioning support for the eggs in the container. All of these differences in construction will be apparent from the detailed description which follows, it being understood that thepresent invention consists in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as de scribed hereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings and as finally pointed out in the appended claim.

In the-accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the blank of which the side, top and bottom walls are formed;

Figure 2 is a view of the blank of which the transverse partition walls are formed;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the complete carton expanded into shape for receiving the articles for which it is intended;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the carton with parts thereof broken away and aportion of the top raised to show the interior construction of :the carton;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the carton;

Figure 6 is-a transverse sectional view showing the top'walls in opened position;

Figure 7 is asimilar transverse sectional view showing the top walls in closed position; and

Figure 8 is a partial longitudinal sectional view taken, on thegline -8.-8 of Figures;

,ments 24, which may be, if desired, also tri- {Ihe boxer-carton of the present-inventionjs preferably constructed of a paper stock, such chip board, having the inherent capacity of re-., siliency and of bending along predetermined: lines such as are produced by a scoring operation... Such a material, which will meet the requirements of the present invention, is inexpensive andwell; known at the present time for the manufactures; of'cellular cartons or boxes. i

Referring to the drawings, the blank I!) of Fig-x: ure 1 is in the form of a single sheet scored along, the parallel lines a, b, c, d, e, f and g to provide a plurality of foldable sections-I I, H, I3, l4, l5,.l.6;-- l1 and [8. The intermediate sections [4 and lz5.- which together constitute the bottom wall of ,the: carton, are suitably stamped to provide a series of uniformly spaced slots 19 which extend equals, distances to either side ofthe central score line d. Inaddition, the free edges of the outermost sections H and I2, of" the blank are-each slitted, as I? at.. 20, to provide a plurality of similar tab'elei mentsjZl, it being noted that the side edges ofw eachsuch element are respectively in line with a, pair of the central slots [9, the tab element itself;- being in centered relation with respect to cache such pair of slots,

The blank l le of'Figure 2 is suitably stamped;v 1 scored and slit to provide a plurality of partially-*;; out out pa'rtition' members 22, all" but one of 1 which are integrally anchoredito the -longitudi-. na'lly extending side strips -23-'23 by means sci opposed triangularly shaped connecting elements or 24.--The' endmost partition is anchored to them; side strips by rectangular shaped connecting ele-" angularly shaped. The free ends of the partition members are-so out along the lines 25,- 26, 21, 28,: 29,36 and 31 as-toprovideeach' of themwith 'aprojection32 located centrally between a'pair ofoppositely sloping edge portions 33-34. Alsojth'e cuts along the lines 25and 3| atopposite endsof each partition member are of such arc u'ate'shape asito provide each triangular anchor element a f with freely eiitending portion 35 which may b felq pwa ly 6 th? F 1 P an of t an eme alo t s rel 6- I The Peri ti9e..,,1 members 22 areadapted to beswung into planes 1,; substantially paralleling each other ,and extendingatright angles to, the cornmonhorizontalg 1 plane of the anchorelements 24, .each of these partition rnembers being-centrally provided with ,,f an opening 3-Lof substantially semiwcircular form Preferably, the basal portion of each such opening,

.31 :isgclosedeby a bendabl -tab portion, 38 struck 3 out of the blank as shown for a purpose which will be apparent hereinafter.

In the carbon of the present invention the blank III is employed to form the bottom wall opposite sides and the top of the carton, while the blank II, secured to the blank ID, as shown in Figures 4 to '7 inclusive, provides the transverse portions which divide the carton into longitudinally spaced cells.

In forming the carton, the securing strips 23-43 of the transverse partition member blank are respectively secured to the sections I3 and I6 of the blank II) which form the opposite side walls of the carton. Preferably, the securing strips 23 23 are respectively glued or otherwise secured to the upper portions of the side wall panels I3 and I6 with the upper edges of the 'strips'23--23 closely adjacent the scored fold lines b and f.

With the blank I I secured in position between the side panels I3 and I6 of the blank ID, as

shown most clearly in Figure 6, the transverse partition members of the said blank I I may'each be rotated about their' supporting gussets' 24 (M in the case of the endmost partition member) so that all of the transverse partitions 22 assume a substantially p'arallelrela'tion with the bottom projections 32 of the several transverse partition members respectively in registry with the slots I9 formed in the bottom wall sections I4I5 of thec'arton blank Ill. form the bottom wall of the carton are pressed upwardly, as shown in Figures 6 and '7, form a rather wide and shallow inverted V, the oppositely inclined sections I4 and I of the bottom wallbe'ing respectively in engagement with the inclined bottom edges 33'and 34 of the transverse partitions; In this relation of the transverse partitions with respect to the sections I4 and I5 of the bottom wall of the carton, the projections 826i the transverse partions extend through the asshown in Figure 2, into parallel relation, as

shown in Figures 3 to 8 inclusive.

When the carton is expanded into the shape of theb'o'x shown in said Figures 3 to 8 inclusive, it will'be observed that the sections I3 and I6 constitute the opposite sidewalls thereof, the sections I4 and I5 constitute the upwardly inclined portions of the bottom wall, and the sections II--I2 and I'II8 constitute the top or lid panels of the carton. In order to effect the desired and necessary interlocking relation between the transverse partition members 22 and the bottom wall sections Il-I 5' of the carton, a separately insertable looking strip 40 is employed, this strip being shown most clearly in Figures 3, 5 and 8 wherein it will be observed merely as a relatively narrow strip projected through the aligned openings 31 of the transverse partition members, this strip being nested between the ridge (1 of the bottom wall of the carton and the lower edges of the openings 31. The locking strip 40 thus serves not only to effect a positive interlock between the transverse partition members 22 and the bottom wall of the carton, but also serves effectively as a support from which the bottom sections I4 and I5 of the carton are suspended.

In order to more securely retain the interlocking These sections I4'I 5 which This ridge of the strip 40 in position against unintentional or accidental displacement, the openings 31 in the partition members are each provided as aforesaid with struck-out tab portions 38, the free edges of which resiliently engage the interlocking strip as it is projected through the said openings 22 to frictionally hold the strip in place.

Referring now to the top or lid sections I I--I2 and IB-I1 of the carton, it will be noted that the sections II and I8 are each bendable relatively to their adjoining sections I2 and I! along the score lines a and g. The sections I2 and II are adapted to be folded about their score lines b and 1 respectively to lie in a substantially horizontal plane spaced above the upper edges of the transverse partition members 22 to provide a closure or lid of the carton, these lid sections I2 and I1 being held in place by means of the free marginal sections II and I8 which are brought together and interlocked with the transverse partitions 22, as shown in Figure 7. These free provided with a series of slits 20, as hereinbefore described, the several slits of the section I I being thus brought into registry with the corresponding slits of section I8 so that each pair of registry slits receives the upper edge of one of the transverse partitions 22. In order to provide for a.- more secure engagement between the slitted sections II and I8 of the top closure members of the carton, the said sections II and I2 are each scored at opposite sides of each slit 28 thereof as at II to provide bendable tabs 42-42 which frictionally engage opposite surfaces of the partition member. By means of this construction just described, the slits in the free edges of the cover sections of the carton may be narrower than the thickness of the partition members 22, the bendable tabs 4242 on either side of 'the slit 'being operative to permit the relatively thick sections II and I8 thereof extend longitudinally of the carton and are disposed in the verticalmedian plane thereof, this plane being common with that of the longitudinally extending ridge d of the bottom wall of the carton. The sections II and I8 thus serve as a longitudinal divider for the carton to provide the same with two rows of cells separated from each other by the transverse partition members 22, each cell being of a size and shape suitable for reception of an egg or other such article.

It will be observed that the anchoring gussets 24 for the transverse partition members are each provided with freely extending bendable portions 35, as described. aforesaid. These portions normally project toward the center of each cell of the carton and serve as cushioning elements for the egg disposed in the cell, each such element engaging a side of the egg to help maintain it in upright position.

An important advantage of a carton constructed as hereinbefore described and as shown' in the accompanying drawings resides in the fact that when the carton is to be shipped or stored and the conservation of space becomes an important factor, it may be compressed into a substantially fiat shape upon removal of the interlocking strip 40 and disengagement of the partition members 272 from the bottom wall sections I4 and I5.

In such case, the partition members 22 are all disposed in a fiat plane common to that of their anchoring gussets, and the carton may then be folded fiat about either of the score lines c or e. If folded flat about the score line 0 the sections ll, l2 and [3 are extended flatwise to overlie the flattened sections l4, 15, I6, I7 and 18 with the transverse partitions 22 disposed between these flattened outer sections of the carton. Similarly, the carton may be folded fiat about the score line e, in which case the flattened sections I6, I! and i8 overlie the flattened sections I5, I4, I3, I2 and I! with the partitions again interposed between such flattened sections of the collapsed carton.

In order to expand the collapsed carton into shape, it is merely necessary to position the panels I3 and I6 into substantially parallel relation with the sections 14 and i5 stretched into substantially horizontal position and then rotate the partition members 22 so as to present their projections 32 respectively into registry with the slots [9. The bottom wall sections l4 and I5 are then pressed upwardly, as shown in Figure 6, and the interlocking strip 40 is thus projected longitudinally through the openings 31 and beneath the ridge d bottom wall of the carton. It will be understood, of course, that this invention is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without departing from the real spirit or general principles thereof and it is accordingly intended to claim the same broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated by the appended claim.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

A carton of the character described having side Walls and an interconnecting bottom wall of in vertecl V-shape, the ridge of said bottom wall being provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots therein, a plurality of transverse partitions hingedly secured at opposite corners thereof to the side walls of the carton and adapted to be swung into parallel relation for respective projection of their free edges through the slots aforesaid, said partitions being each provided in its free edge with a partially struck-out tab disposed immediately below the ridge of the bottom wall, and a longitudinally extending member projecting through the slits formed by said struckout tabs to interlock the partitions and the bottom Wall of the carton, said tabs serving to resiliently urge said member into frictional engagement with the ridge of said bottom wall.

HENRY LEVINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,288,004 Hughes Dec. 17, 1918 1,511,678 Swartzberg Oct. 14, 1924 2,005,345 Levine June 18, 1935 2,087,773 Levine July 20, 1937 2,113,051 Jones Apr. 5, 1938 2,134,768 Lawless Nov. 1, 1938 2,261,625 Jones Nov. 4, 1941 2,277,327 Inman Mar. 24, 1942 2,340,753 Inman Feb. 1, 1944 2,374,382 Rutledge Apr. 24, 1945 

